HOME JOURNALS CONTACT

International Journal of Cancer Research

Year: 2007 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 2 | Page No.: 111-118
DOI: 10.3923/ijcr.2007.111.118
The Effect of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaves Extract on Alpha-fetoprotein Serum Concentration, Glutathione S-transferase and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Hepatocarcinogenesis Induced Rats
M.E.T. Manal, P. Hanachi, I. Patimah, I.A. Siddig and O. Fauziah

Abstract: This study evaluates the chemopreventive effect of an aqueous extract of fresh leaves of Azadarichta indica against liver cancer. Twenty male rats (Spraque dawley), 150-250 g, were acclimatized for 1 week before use. The rats were divided randomly into 4 groups; cancer control group (C), cancer treated with 5% Azadarichta indica extract group (CAI), normal control group (N) and normal treated with 5% Azadarichta indica extract group (NAI) and each group contains 5 rats. Rats in group C and CAI were induced cancer by intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg kg-1 diethyl nitrosamine (DEN) as hepatocarcinogenesis initiator and then followed by 2-acetylaminofluorene as promoter of hepatocarcinogenesis (0.02% in food) for 2 weeks. The rats were then left for 2 weeks. The rats in group N and NAI were injected once intraperitoneally with corn oil and act as control. The plant was fed orally to CAI and NAI groups. Serum concentration of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) as liver tumor marker was measured. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in the serum and liver cytosol. The results of this study revealed that there is a significant difference (p≤0.05) between C and CAI groups in serum alpha-fetoprotein and, in serum and liver cytosol levels of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase. While there was no significant difference (p0.05) between NAI and N group in GST and GPx level. As a conclusion from this study that the consumption of 5% of NEEM leaves aqueous extract resulted in complete inhibition of chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Spraque dawley rats.

Fulltext PDF Fulltext HTML

How to cite this article
M.E.T. Manal, P. Hanachi, I. Patimah, I.A. Siddig and O. Fauziah, 2007. The Effect of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaves Extract on Alpha-fetoprotein Serum Concentration, Glutathione S-transferase and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Hepatocarcinogenesis Induced Rats. International Journal of Cancer Research, 3: 111-118.

Related Articles:
© Science Alert. All Rights Reserved